I Advocate the Avocado (Avocado)

Member Name: Zmugzy

Product:	Avocado
Date:	09/12/08 (511 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Wholesome healthy food

Disadvantages: Absolutely none

When We Met
The avocado, or avocado pear, is native to the tropical regions of Americas and is one of my favourite foods. Although it grows on an evergreen tree that has been cultivated for thousands of years, the fruit has only became widely popular since the 19th century, when new hybrids were introduced to North America. I first consumed it when I was living in Brazil where it is known as the abacate - not to be confused with the similar sounding abacaxí, which means pineapple. Trying to pronounce abacate like the locals took me a while and for sometime and on many occasions I had to be content with drinking pineapple juice instead of avocado with milk. The word 'abacate' probably originates from 'ahuacatl' - the name given to the fruit by the Aztecs. In the Aztec Nahuatl language, 'ahuacatl' also means testicle and the fruit was named as such on account of its shape (I wonder what they called a banana?). The Aztecs referred to it as "the fertility fruit" and a myth has been created ever since that the fruit is some kind of sexual stimulant.

Origin of Species
There are hundreds of varieties of avocado, but they all originate from three types - the Mexican, the Guatemalan and the West Indian. The Mexican variety produce small, dark, smooth-skinned fruit. The Guatemalan type has larger fruit characterised by thick, rough skin. I am more familiar with West Indian avocados, which have light green skin and are the most common type in Brazil. This type produce some fairly large fruit at more than 1kg in weight. I rarely eat the varieties imported into the UK on account of the expense and also the variety. The two varieties most commonly found here are Fuerte and Hass. Fuerte avocados have smooth green skins whereas the Hass variety has a knobbly purple-black exterior and a creamy-textured, richly flavoured interior. Both are very small and are sometimes found on sale in Tesco's or Sainsbury's at astronomical prices. Avocados are mow cultivated in places such as Australia and California. The Hass variety found here is usually imported from environmentally unfriendly farmlands of Israel.

Is it Ripe?
It is not that easy to tell if an avocado is ripe. It should be slightly soft when pressed gently between fingers. Sometimes you will get fruit that is over ripe and inside the light yellowy green flesh or pulp will have purple brown spots or patches. This does not mean you have to throw the fruit away. Just scoop out the brown bits with a spoon and use the rest. Unripe fruit will have a whiter and harder flesh, but it will of course ripen at home on a windowsill.

The Fruit
To open an avocado, you cut lengthways all around to the large stone at the centre. You can scoop the stone out with a spoon before scooping out the rest of the flesh. An opened fruit should really be used straight away as like a banana it will quickly over-ripen and turn brown. If you only use half a fruit, some people have told me that leaving the large stone in place, it will keep the other half of the fruit ripe for longer, others say that this is a myth. I am still undecided as to who is right. In my own experience I do find that by leaving the stone in one half of the fruit, and placing it in a fridge, I can use the other half of the fruit the next day. Alternatively you can add lemon juice to the scooped out flesh and this should make it last longer.

Nutrition
The avocado is a highly nutritious food, but whether it is an aphrodisiac as has often been claimed, is still open to debate. Approximately 75% of an avocado's calories come from fat, most of which is monounsaturated fat (also abundant in olive oil and associated with lower blood pressure). Avocados contain 60% more potassium than bananas and are rich in copper and iron. They are a rich source of B vitamins, as well as vitamin E and vitamin K. The avocado and also has the highest fibre content of any fruit.

The Fattening Myth
Despite the high fat content, it is wrong to assume that avocados are a fattening food. In fact there are several advantages in controlling weight. Its monounsaturated fat will induce a higher metabolic rate, and so calories will be burned up more quickly in comparison to saturated fatty foods. Because of the avocado's high fat content, it gives a quicker feeling of satiation ("fullness") and as such reduces the tendency to overeat. The high fat content also reduces the incentive to binge on foods high in sugars or saturated fats. The rich supply of vitamins and minerals makes your diet more wholesome and satisfying and therefore encourages moderation in consumption.

Consumption
I have never been much of a fan of all the fancy dishes that incorporate the avocado, probably because I can never afford to go to the restaurants where they are served. As far as I am concerned there is only way to consume avocado and that is to put the scooped out flesh into a blender and add milk to make a delicious drink. Most people need to add sugar and maybe some lemon juice, but I prefer the natural unique taste of the avocado with milk. It's difficult to describe the taste of the avocado. Some say it has a nutty flavour. Not me. The flavour is just uniquely avocado. The drink really is a meal in itself and really fills you up. I have survived for days on avocado milk drink alone. Sometimes I add chocolate powder to the mix or sprinkle in little pinch of guaraná powder. After drinking this you really will be able to take on a herd of wildebeest.

Summary: The avocado fruit.